One of the main aims of the festival was to facilitate co-operation between centres of excellence in digital communications, biotechnology, biomedical research, environmental management and science education in the UK and India, through interactions between the UK scientists and their Indian counterparts. Out of over 15 eminent British scientists participating in the festival , Sir George Radda (Chief Executive ,MRC) visited SNEHA.

As part of the itinerary Sir George Radda participated in debates on Human Genome research, giving a lecture at the Cancer Research Institute in Mumbai, as well as talking to local experts about his own specialist subjects, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

During Sir George's five day visit Indian researchers were able to find out more about opportunities at the MRC in areas of cutting edge science such as Bioinformatics. A key area of expansion in science generally, the MRC currently sees this discipline as a top priority if the potential of the post-genome challenge is to be realised.

Sir George, prior to his arrival in India had said: "I'd like young researchers in India to be aware of opportunities for personal and professional development in the UK, which provides one of the most stimulating, world-class scientific environments in which to work and study. For all our futures we need to encourage greater freedom of mobility for medical researchers to gain experience in different environments and to learn from each other's expertise to improve world health."

The visit certainly brought his words into reality by creating an active interest in Indo-British co operation amongst all those who had an opportunity to hear him.

About Sir George Radda

Professor George Radda was born in 1936 and came to Oxford in 1956 from Hungary. He soon became interested in the possibility of extending his work with spectroscopic methods to include the use of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance to investigatecomplex
biological material, and in 1974 the first paper appeared on the use of 31 phosphorus NMR to study tissue metabolites.

The first report of the clinical application of the work Professor Radda and his colleagues appeared in 1981. A magnet large enough to accommodate the whole human body for 31 phosphorus NMR investigations was installed in 1983 at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. At the same time, fundamental metabolic studies using similar techniques continue in the Biochemistry Department in Oxford University.

Professor Radda was awarded the CBE in June 1993 and knighted in June 2000. He is a Fellow of Merton College, Oxford, a Fellow of the Royal Society and is the British Heart Foundation Professor of Molecular Cardiology (currently on secondment). He has been awarded the following prizes - The Colworth Meda (1969), Feldberg Foundation prize (1981), British Heart Foundation Gold Medal and Prize for Cardiovascular Research (1982), the CIBA Medal and Prize, (the Biochemical Society (1983)), the Gold Medal of the Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (1984). He is an Honorary Fellow of the American Heart Association and was awarded the Citation for International Achievement. He was made an Honorary Member of the Royal College of Physicians in 1987 and Honorary Fellow in 1997. In 1999 he became a member of Academia Europea. He was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Medicine from the University of Berne in 1985 and London University in November 1991, and Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science from the University of Stirling in 1998. In 1999 he was awarded an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science from the University of Sheffield and in 2001 he was awarded an Honorary Degree from the University of Debrecen, Hungary. He was awarded the Buchanan Medal by the Royal Society in November 1987, the Skinner Lecture Medal in 1989 and the Rank Prize in Nutrition 1991. He was Head of the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Oxford from 1991 to 1996. Since 1961 he has published over 780 publications in reviewed scientific and medical journals worldwide
In April 1988 he was made the Honorary Director of the MRC Biochemical and Clinical Magnetic Resonance Unit at Oxford, a position which he held until his appointment as Chief Executive of the Medical Research Council in October 1996. In 1997 he became a member of European Molecular Biology Organisation (EMBO). In April, 1999 he joined BTG plc as a non-executive member of their Board of Directors and in 2001 he became the Chairman of the National Cancer Research Institute.

Golden Moments on the 9th January 2002.

On the 9th January 2002 , Sir George Radda arrived with Jane Gezbert and the British Council representative, Janice D'souza at 15:00 hrs. Dr. Potdar, Dr. Yajnik, Dr. Fernandes, Dr. Sane, Deepak and Trupti received Sir George Radda.
A power-point presentation session was conducted by Dr. Potdar, Dr. Pandit and Dr. Yajnik.(all SNEHA founder members).
Dr.Potdar's presentation included the information on all of the SNEHA projects at various centers in India. (Sir George was interested and wanted to know more about the Mysore project.)Dr.Pandit presented the Pune Children follow up for 8 years and Dr. Yajnik spoke about the "Thrifty Phenotype". After the presentation session discussion session followed for about an hour or so.

CLEARING OF DOUBTS Sir Radda in discussion with Sneha Scientists	THRASHING OUT NITTY GRITTIES OF DOHaD - Sir Radda listening to Sneha Scientists

Sir George Radda said, that it was difficult to draw final conclusions yet on the issue of FOAD. Mechanistic studies are essential. So also the intervention studies must go on. Role of Malnutrition also needs to be considered ? Further analysis of GLV's is essential .It is necessary to pinpoint what is it that makes the difference?

Considered Opinion of a Global Science Leader.

Sir George believes in a life course approach to chronic degenerative disorders rather than one point etiology and that ageing also contributes. There is a need for different intervention at different stages. Molecular biology should also be looked at.He further mentioned and suggested 'Statins" or similar drugs or supplements to be tried in children who were small at birth and have become obese.
The discussion session concluded followed by a visit to CSSC campus ,work display and a photo session.

Joint Committment to Further Science of Foad.